Nutritional therapy in liver disease

Abstract

Nutritional inadequacies are frequent in patients with liver damage, specially in those with advanced chronic liver disease, and this fact, as in other pathological circumstances, may influence their clinical evolution and outcome. Therefore, nutritional therapy may play an important role in the management of these patients. The present paper will deal with some aspects of the nutritional management in patients with liver disease. Special emphasis will be paid to the role of artificial nutritional support in the treatment of acute alcoholic hepatitis, the current status of artificial nutrition in advanced cirrhosis, and some nutritional implications in the management of hepatic encephalopathy.